Posts tagged as 'Zaha Hadid Architects'

Fri 12.9.

A precursor to architect Zaha Hadid’s first complete hotel design, the ME Dubai, the ‘Crest’ installation has been unveiled at London’s V&A Museum in time for the beginning of the 2014 edition of the London Design Festival.

This was her latest coup and it was as loud as we expectetd it to be. Close to the historical center of the antique world’s capital the London based Zaha Hadid Architects realised the new Contemporary Arts Centre – ‘MAXXI’.

Contemporary Arts Centre “MAXXI” Rome, photo by Hélène Binet

“The MAXXI relates with the urban context within which it is set by renewing the horizontal development of the former military barracks. The geometrical plan of the project aligns itself with the two urban grids that regulate the town planning structure of the area and the new interpretation of these two geometrical plans within the proposal generates the surprising geometrical complexity of the campus. The two urban grids are mediated by sinuous lines that harmonise the plan and facilitate the flow within the site. The pedestrian walkway that crosses the campus is open to the public and has been reinstated after approximately 100 years of being blocked by the barracks. This walkway follows the soft outline of the museum, sliding below the upper level galleries towards Via Masaccio. The interior of the MAXXI can be seen by visitors and pedestrians through the numerous openings in the MAXXI’s curvilinear walls that on the one hand, protect its contents, yet beckon the visitor through the broad glazed surface on the ground floor.”

Contemporary Arts Centre “MAXXI” Rome, photo by Hélène Binet

“The main concept of the project is directly linked to the purpose of the building as a centre for the exhibition of visual arts. The walls that cross the space, and their intersections, defines interior and exterior spaces of the MAXXI. This system acts on all three levels of the building, the second of which is the more complex – with a wealth of connections with various bridges that link buildings and galleries. The visitor is invited to enter into a series of continuous spaces, rather than the compact volume of an isolated building.”

Contemporary Arts Centre “MAXXI” Rome, photo by Hélène Binet

“The interior spaces, defined by the exhibition walls, are covered by a glass roof that flood the galleries with natural light filtered by the louvered lines of the roofing beams. These beams underline the linearity of the spatial system, aid in articulating the various orientations of the galleries and facilitate circulation through the museum and campus.”

Thu 19.11.

Her construction sites are as fascinating as the finished buildings. Recently the wave-shaped Aquatics Centre roof, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, has been successfully lifted and lowered into place. The Aquatics Centre in London is going to be finished in 2011. The 3000 tonnes roof, resting on just three concrete supports, builds the gatewayto the Olympic Park.

‘Nuraghi’ are the megalithic, domed buildings in Sardinia and souvenirs of the island´s distinctive “Nuragic” culture dating back before 1500 BC. Today many of the 8000 existing archaic stone towers have been restored and Su Nuraxi di Barumini, one of the most important archaeological sites, has even become part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Last year the construction of a Museum of Nuragic Culture and Contemporary Art started, with the London-based Zaha Hadid Architects winning the competition ahead of other prestigious entries by well-known international architects.

Propsal by Archea Associati

An extraordinary submission was the design of the Florence-based architects Archea Associati. Their monolithic building with its central opening open to the sky is a clear reference to original Nuragic architecture.

Chaoyangmen SOHO III designed by Zaha Hadid is on a large premium site rare in Beijing city, west of East 2nd Ring Road in Chaoyangmen area. With the headquarters building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its east and Chaoyangmen SOHO I and II on its north, it is surrounded by different urban amenities including outdoor space, offices and residential spaces. The total construction area of the project is 334,000 square meters, of which 166,000 and 86,000 square meters are designated for offices and retail uses respectively. It is the largest commercial project on East 2nd Ring Road for the time being. All the retail spaces in Chaoyangmen SOHO III will be held by SOHO China for lease. It will be the second self-held commercial property of SOHO China following the Qianmen Avenue.

A main passageway running will connect Chaoyangmen SOHO III with Chaoyangmen SOHO I and II to take visitors to all parts of the whole project.

The project is designed based on the traditional Chinese courtyard, an inner space within a building. The project is conceived as a series of continuous and flowing volumes that coalesce, which fuse and pull apart as stretched bridges to create a world of continuous mutual adaptation. The architecture unfolds below, above and layers in all directions. It is a 360 degree architecture world which embraces the city and embraces us. It has no corners, no disrupt transitions, but everything evolves, very much inspired by nature.It will have a garden in the shape of a stripe in front, greenery on the fringe and a spectacular Artrium.

The architectural cluster is made up of four structure of fluid design featuring no straight lines but smooth curvy flow, standing conspicuously apart from the plain design of other structures in its neighborhood. Quoting its designer, the project has an architectural design of the 21st Century that offers a new perspective of Beijing to the world in the new century.